Love, Aurélie | REGULUS BLACK

Chapter Twenty-Six

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[CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX]
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HER STEPS WERE SLOW AND SHORT.

Odette was conflicted. It was never too late to turn back and hurry back to the safety of the Xun residence. However, the note would haunt her dreams if she left it at that. The name was so familiar and to be called that, she wasn't sure how to feel because that would mean the girl in the dreams — the one called Aurélie — was her. But how could it be her?

They weren't memories, they couldn't be. They didn't feel like they belonged to her, it just felt like any ordinary dream that she could easily forget in the morning. Even if the person was confused, she wanted to know. To get the chance to find out more and not take it was absolute madness.

Yet, she knew she was also crazy for venturing out in the middle of a war in a place she wasn't familiar with. Not to mention, the Hogsmeade trips had been cancelled for a reason, yet there she was heading to Hogsmeade alone with no one knowing where she was going. Well, they knew she wasn't home, but they thought she was in the small cafe around the corner of the street. Mei would be disappointed when Odette returns without her coffee.

She knew she had to hurry because if she didn't make it back an half an hour, someone would probably go look for her. It was still very early. Hua hadn't paid a visit and the other two sisters were still in a bad mood, so Odette was lucky she had no volunteers to go with her. Well, there was Liu, but she wasn't home. According to Mei, she was off "playing the role of a pawn in a twisted game" whatever that meant.

Odette found herself fiddling with a loose button on the worn out coat of Mei's. She kicked a rock in her path. She was hating her decision. She was alone, she knew nothing, and she was going to meet a complete stranger.

At least if she died, she'd die knowing that she was incredibly stupid.

The Hog's Head Inn was a bit of an eyesore and business was nothing like the Three Broomsticks nearby.

"Yup, I'm definitely getting murdered," mumbled Odette as she entered the building. A floorboard creaked under her weight. Odette looked down at her boots and sighed. She ventured further inside the inn. She had never stepped inside the Hog's Hesd Inn and she wished she never had. Lots of strange folk were inside, though none caught her attention.

Her attention was turned to the man behind the counter. With no one appearing to look for her, she decided to order a butterbeer. She pulled out the coins in her pocket and was trying to remember which was which when someone pushed her from behind. The coins fell from her hand and hit the ground.

"Sorry," squeaked a male voice.

Odette barely glanced at him as she bent down and started to gather the money, "It's alright."

"Here, allow me to help —"

"No! No! It's alright, don't bother," said Odette, she rather not risk getting stolen from.

"No, I insist."

"No, really, it's okay," said Odette, she slammed her head on top of a coin he tried to pick up. The man drew his hand back and looked up.

"Rafferty!" he called out, "Look what you —"

He froze, which caused Odette to look up slowly. He was staring at her with his eyes wide.

"Aurélie?" he said, "Bloody hell, you're alive? Oh, I was so worried, I didn't know what to think. They say you're dead."

"What?" said Odette.

"Oh!" He jumped up and walked to the counter. Odette quickly picked up the last coin and walked over to him. He had the butterbeer in his hand and held it out to her.